Occupational Profiles

This group performs some or all of the following duties:
 

Concrete products forming and finishing machine operators and workers

• Set up, adjust and operate single-function machines to mix, drill, grind and cut concrete to specifications in the manufacture of concrete products
• Check products for quality control, repair flaws and perform ongoing machine adjustments and minor maintenance as necessary
• Move products using forklift, crane or hydraulic hoist
• Record manufacturing information such as quantity, size and type of goods produced
• Construct clay models and moulds by hand and with hand tools for use in casting concrete products
• Build and repair wooden forms used to mould concrete products
• Position reinforcing rods or wire mesh in moulds and fill moulds with concrete from suspended pouring buckets
• Start vibrating tables to settle concrete, or tamp concrete using electric vibrator
• Remove castings from mould with crane or forklift, and finish surfaces of castings using screed or trowel
• Cut cured concrete pipe sections with saw or chisel, and cement sections together to form odd shaped fittings.

Clay products forming and finishing machine operators

• Set up and operate automatic machines that mix ingredients, extrude tempered clay mixture and cut extruded clay into sections to make products such as bricks, drain tiles and porcelain insulators
• Operate mechanical or hydraulic ram and hot-presses to form pottery and porcelain ware
• Prepare and mix slip and fill moulds with slip to form pottery and porcelain ware such as jugs, cups, sinks and toilet bowls
• Operate kiln to bake clay products to specified hardness.

Stone forming and finishing workers

• Operate blade or wire saws to cut blocks of stone to specified dimensions
• Operate machines to grind and polish surfaces of stone blocks, slabs or other stone products to specific shape or design and to produce smooth finish
• Operate sandblasting equipment to cut inscriptions or decorative designs in stone monuments
• Finish stone products with spray paint and by mounting plaques or installing concrete bases
• Operate stone-dressing lathe to sharpen and dress grindstones that grind logs into pulp
• Operate machine to drill holes in blocks or slabs of stone according to specifications.

• Some secondary school education may be required.
• On-the-job training is provided.
• Experience as a helper or labourer in concrete, clay or stone products manufacturing may be required.
• Mould makers in this unit group who construct and repair wooden forms may require some carpentry or woodworking experience.